Wedge device



Dec. 20, 1966 H. R. ANDERSON WEDGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 1'7, 1963 INVENTOR Henry A. Andersan ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1966 H. R. ANDERSON WEDGE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1963 INVENTOR Henry A. Anderson BY Mm 712% United States Patent 3,292,508 WEDGE DEVICE Henry R. Anderson, 2023 Old Frederick Road, Baltimore, Md. 21228 Filed Oct. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 316,903 4 Claims. (Cl. 94-4) This invention relates generally to masonry, and more particularly it pertains to a support and anchorage for concrete embedded flagstone or patio block terraces.

Flagstones are generally irregular in thickness and for walkways and patios must be laid with their top surfaces in a common plane. A concrete bed is usually employed for permanency and the flagstones or patio blocks embedded therein.

Flagstone facings or patio blocks are also used to face rather steep hillsides to prevent washing away of the soil or where the angle of repose of a gravel fill such as at a bridge abuttment is exceeded.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a support element which will position flagstones or patio blocks while the concrete bed prevent their sinking out of flush relationship.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support element for flagstone or patio blocks which -will prevent their lateral sliding while the concrete bed is in soft condition.

To provide a support which is readily adjustable for leveling flagstones orpatio blocks while they are being placed and which does not appreciably displace any of the soft concrete bed, is still another object.

To provide a ground spike device for temporary support of irregular masonry embedded objects which adapts its support edge in two planes of compliance to the object is still a further object of this invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ground anchorage for the concrete beds of flagstone walks, patios and hillside facings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a wedge type ground spike with improved soil gripping features for holding in place various masonry walkways and facings.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of concrete embedded flagstone or patio type terrace partly in vertical section to show the use of leveling and anchorage elements according to features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of first embodiment of an anchorage element of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective depiction of a second embodiment of an anchorage element of this invention;

FIG. 4 shows in vertical section the use of the anchorage elements on steeply inclined facings;

FIG. 5 is a wedge type embodiment of an anchorage element;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a slightly different embodiment from the wedge type support element shown in FIG. 5 prior to the securement of the components thereof together;

FIG. 8 is avertical section taken on line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective drawing illustrating the method of assembly securement of the anchorage of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a vertical section of a portion of flagstone walkway employing the anchorage assembly.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown a walkway comprising flagstones 20 laid in a bed 22 of concrete. Instead of using flagstones 20, conventional patio blocks can be used. At each flagstone lo- 3,292,508 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 cation one or more stifi, triangular sheet anchorages 26 (FIG. 2) are inserted point downward into the ground 24 so as to protrude somewhat above the top surface thereof. The bed 22 is then poured upon the cleared area of ground 24 and locations are chosen for the interfitting flagstones 20. Then the flagstone 20 is placed and trod upon with the heel or otherwise tamped down so as to be level With its neighbor. This action embeds the flagstone 20 well into the concrete and also forces the anchorages 26 still more into the ground 24.

It should be noted that the flagstone 20 is now supported from sinking into the soft concrete any further by its own weight because it rests on the top edge of an anchorage or spaced anchorages 2-6. The insertion of the thin sheet anchorage 26, in addition, has not displaced the concrete to any appreciable amount so that adjacent flagstones 20 are not displaced thereby. Since the thin sheet anchorage 26 also can tilt edgewise it adapts well to the irregular bottom of the flagstone maintaining a generally line contact therewith by its top edge.

When the concrete bed 22 hardens, it then becomes a solid continuous foundation having the points of the several anchorages 26 protruding through the bottom into the soil thus well anchoring the walkway as a unit.

Another embodiment of an anchorage element is indicated by reference numeral 28, FIG. 3, and shown in use in FIG. 4. The ground 24 is depicted considerably inclined as on a steep hillside. For this application, the sheet anchorage 28 is given a right angle offset bend 30 and a reverse right angle flange bend 32 to thus form a shouldered shelf or pedestal 34 upon which the downhill edge of the flagstone 20 (or a patio block) is supported preventing sideward drift thereof while the bed 22 is still plastic.

In some types of soil such as gravel and sand, a better anchorage is provided in the embodiment of the anchorage element 36 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Here, there are provided three triangular sheets of stiff material, two anchorage elements 38 with bent interlocking tab extensions 40 and a third anchorage element 26 inserted therebetween. Such a bi-pointed anchorage 36 made up of anchorage elements 38 side by side is first driven into the ground and then anchorage element 26 is driven therebetween to cause a wedging action therebetween in conjunction with the point of sheet 26 causes a strong gripping action on the ground 24. Furthermore, the tab extensions 40 can be bent at substantially right angles to the faces of the anchorage elements 38 and serve to secure the concrete bed 22 more firmly to the anchorage 36. The fact that the plane of the inner sheet 26 has a freedom of motion allows the top edge thereof to adapt to the irregular bottom of a flagstone 20 or patio block as best shown in FIG. 10.

For ease in packing and shipping, the tab extension 40 may be sold flat as stamped from the sheet and bent with a short section'of pipe as a bending tool as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10. If desired the outer sheets 38 may be formed with a notch 42 at the sides to form the tabs 40 as well as to take a wrap-around tie wire 44 as shown if desired. The tie wire may also be passed around each tab pair to secure them together if desired.

However, when the tabs 40 -or extensions are bent, they can be slightly twisted and will hold together 'by friction and interlocking.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a bed of hardenable plastic type cement positioned along the ground, a plurality of flagstones, patio blocks, or the like positioned along the surface of said cement to form a walking surface, and wedgeshaped planar thin sheets extending through said cement and into said ground, with each said thin wedge-shaped sheet having an upper edge surface providing line-ofc-ontact with flagstones, patio blocks, or the like, with said wedge-shaped sheets supporting said flagstones, patio blocks, or the like, in a predetermined level position until said plastic cement sets.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wedgeshaped sheets each have an offset bend and a reverse flange at the end of said offset bend to form a shelf engaging the edge of said flagstones, patio blocks, or the'like.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein pairs of wedgeshaped sheets are arranged side-by-side and spaced from each other, another wedge-shaped sheet sandwiched between each pair of wedge-shaped sheets and extending above its respective pair of wedge-shaped sheets, and means for maintaining said another wedge-shaped sheet extending above its respective pair of wedge-shaped sheets.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein each wedgeshaped sheet of its respective pairs of wedge-shaped sheets has a tab extension extending from each side thereof.

and substantially parallel to said ground, and tie means are provided for urging the respective pair of wedgeshaped sheets together, said tie means being maintained in place by its respective pair of tab extensions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 776,419 11/1904 Flatt 9411 1,245,632 11/1917 Strau-b 50S08 1,488,637 4/1924 Heltzel 9451 1,562,257 11/1925 Rogers 94-51 1,637,567 8/ 1927 Herrick 94--11 1,664,605 4/ 1928 Fischer 94-51 2,106,935 2/ 1938 Schiavi 94-51 3,132,571 5/1964 Peters 94--51 3,143,783 8/1964 Gaetke 94- 51 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BED OF HARDENABLE PLASTIC TYPE CEMENT POSITIONED ALONG THE GROUND, A PLURALITY OF FLAGSTONES, PATIO BLOCKS, OR THE LIKE POSITIONED ALONG THE SURFACE OF SAID CEMENT TO FORM A WALKING SURFACE, AND WEDGESHAPED PLANAR THIN SHEETS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CEMENT AND INTO SAID GROUND, WITH EACH SAID THIN WEDGE-SHAPED SHEET HAVING AN UPPER EDGE SURFACE PROVIDING LINE-OF CONTACT WITH FLAGSTONES, PATIO BLOCKS, OR THE LIKE, WITH SAID WEDGE-SHAPED SHEETS SUPPORTING SAID FLAGSTONES, PATIO BLOCKS, OR THE LIKE, IN A PREDETERMINED LEVEL POSITION UNTIL SAID PLASTIC CEMENT SETS. 